Crimson Assassin
by Yukimai
Summary: You are a beautiful, well known assassin. You live to kill, and you kill to survive. This, you feel, can never change. What do you do when you feel yourself changing into someone who can love without wanting to kill?
1. Chapter 1

**Intro**

I am a dangerous assassin, among the best in the world. I cling to the shadows, striking out quickly and accurately with my lethal katana, not even giving my victims the chance to scream with their final breath as my fire-filled blade slides through their heart.

I was born in a small village by the name of Arashi, or Storm, in the Fire country. I do not live there anymore, well, I do not live anywhere. I move freely from village to village, country to country. I do not stay in any given village for more than two or three days, for fear of being tracked down by my enemies, which are many. In these villages, I am seen only when I want to be seen. Otherwise, I remain invisible in clear view to all around me, thanks to my disguise. The people I see daily know me as Tsubaki, the name I was born with. Thanks to these precautions, no one knows what I look like, except of course for your employer/sensei, Shingetsu.

Even though no one knows what I look like, or even for sure if I exist, just the very mention of my true name, the name I gave to myself, makes people shake with fear. My true name, Akane.

**Eight Years Ago**

"Tsubaki! Get in here and eat your dinner!"

"Okay daddy! I'll be there in a minute!" I reply to my father while sitting in the highest branch of the tallest tree in the entire village, looking around. I watch, laughing, as two squirrels chase one another from branch to branch, almost falling yet always managing to catch themselves. Once they disappear from view, I look up and see that it is almost sundown, and that the light is fading away.

"Hmm, I guess I should go in now, before dinner gets cold," I say softly to myself.

"Oh yes, we wouldn't want that now, would we?" says an unknown yet almost pleasant voice from somewhere to my left.

I shriek and turn in the direction of the voice and see a man wearing purely black robes.

"Wh-who are you?" I manage to stammer out.

"Well, if you think it's that important, my name is Shingetsu. Now, I suppose you are wondering why I'm here, yes?" I barely manage to nod my head. "Hmm, where should I start..?" he asks to himself. He then snaps his fingers. "Oh yes! I am here to make a deal with you, one that I think you can't refuse." I am about to make a reply, but he cuts me off, "Hold on, you can ask questions after I tell you what I'm offering." He pauses, almost dramatically. "I would like to dispose of your father, I know you hate him, and I would like to train you as an assassin, the best in the world." Once again I try to say something, and again he cuts me off. "I do understand that you are young, nine I believe, and you probably don't understand much of what I am saying. I've been doing some research on you and your capabilities. I've learned that you are extremely intelligent, and you have a very unique control of fire. With the proper training, you could be the greatest assassin the world has ever seen! Now, any questions?" Dumbfounded, I slightly shake my head. "Alright then," he says. "Now I have a question for you.. Would you like to accept my offer?"

I close my eyes, and think of all the screaming and beatings I have suffered at the hand of my father. I also think of how everyone in the village, including my father, treats me like some kind of monster because of my fire-controlling abilities and how I accidently killed my mother when I was younger because of these very same abilities.

I snap my eyes open at this and say, as boldly as I can, "I accept your offer. When do we leave?"

He smiles and replies, "Right now," and, as if on cue, my father bursts out through the door and looks up in the tree at me -without even noticing Shingetsu there- screaming that if I don't get in the house right now I will have to go without dinner for the next week. I look at Shingetsu, who rolls his eyes, grabs something from his pocket, and flicks it casually in the direction of my father. I see something shiny and the next thing I know, I see my father clutch his throat, fall, and die..

**Author's Note**: Well, there it is, the prologue to my first story. Constructive critisism is welcome. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**Now**

I open my eyes and listen closely. I thought I heard something while I was sleeping. Hearing nothing now, I quickly yet gracefully jump out of my bed and land softly on the floor next to it. Kneeling, holding a kunai, I look around the room. I see nothing. Just as I am about to give up and go get some breakfast, something near the door catches my eye. I focus my attention on it, and find that it is a piece of paper. Picking it up, I notice that it is a letter. It reads:

_Akane,_

_You have a new assignment. Apparantly there is a man in a small village of the River country called Silver Stream who requires your services. The name he gave me was Sota, no doubt a false name, but I care not. He needs your help to take care of the current leader. If you succeed, your reward will be great. Meet me a few miles east of the village at midnight you are currently in for the rest of the information._

_Shingetsu_

I smile to myself as I burn the letter in my hand. Yawning tiredly, I walk over to the small fridge in my hotel room and fix a bowl of cereal. I bring the bowl over to a small table and sit in a chair, thinking about what I am going to do until tonight. Once again, I smile, and take a bite of my cereal.

**Early Afternoon**

As I wander around the village I am currently residing in (a small yet crowded trading village near Konoha), I can't help but have the distinct feeling that someone is watching me. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem- people seem to watch me alot, which I used to think was strange, but I am now used to it. Whoever is watching me now, however, has been following me for the past few hours. _Now who might be so interested in me? _I think to myself. Whoever he his, I need to get him off my tail. It will soon be time for me to find Shingetsu. At first, I think of simply killing my little stalker, but then I think of everyone around. It would be too easy for me to be seen, and I can't let that happen. So instead, I stealthily immerse myself in a small crowd of merchants who are leaving the village. As I make it outside of the village, I check to make sure no one is currently looking at me,- and hopefully my stalker isn't either- and I duck behind a tree. Once everyone that was leaving is out of sight in the distance, I sense that the coast is clear. I then dart off, in search of Shingetsu.

**Stalker's POV**

"So what do you think, Itachi?" Kisame asks me curiously.

"Hn, I do believe she could be of some use to us. But first, we must test her abilities," was my reply_. If she is able to get that ring back from Orochimaru, then maybe she will be worthy of joining the Akatsuki. I personally don't think she can handle it, so I will have to test how strong she is myself before I let her go near that snake, because if she falls into his hands.. we just can't let him have her fire controlling abilities._.

Both Kisame and I are standing on a branch high up in a tree, watching the girl run away.

"Aren't we going after her?" questions Kisame.

"No. I already know where she is going. I saw her reading a letter this morning, she is going to meet up with her sensei because she has a new mission. After that, she's going to the Silver Stream village in the River country. We should wait for her there."

"Oh, hehe, alright then."

We both simultaneously disappear, headed to the Silver Steam village.

**Author's Note and disclaimers**: I will only say this _once_ throughout this story, Naruto and all other related characters and towns etc. are copyright to Masashi Kishimoto. Akane and Shingetsu are my own creations and belong to me. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Akane's POV**

After running a long, circuitous route, to throw off any followers, I come to the edge of a clearing. From behind a tree, I spot two people standing in the midde of the clearing, talking. One I imediately recognize as Shingetsu because of his flaming red hair and dark clothes. The other, I assume to be the man Sota who was mentioned in the letter from Shingetsu. Shingetsu is facing me, and I'm sure he notices me, yet he says nothing. Sota, however, is facing away from me. From what I can see, Sota is a middle-aged, average looking man with tan skin and dark brown hair. His traveling clothes are a bit worn, but I can tell they were once of excellent quality. He is also wearing a blindfold. This is to prevent people from recognizing me later.

I decide I have seen enough and I step into the clearing, calmly walking towards the pair. Sota doesn't even know I'm there until I let myself be heard when I walk past him to stand next to Shingetsu. Startled by the noise of a twig breaking right next to him, Sota steps back and brings his hands to his blindfold, intending to remove it. Quick as lightning, I grab his hands and say, "That would not be wise, my friend."

Obviously terrified, he replies, "I apologize, I didn't know what I was thinking. You must be Akane, yes?"

"Indeed I am."

He bows clumsily. "It is an honor to meet the great Akane, I hope that you will be able to help me."

Ingoring him, I turn to Shingetsu. "Sensei, what are the details of this mission?"

"You will travel the trading roads to the village Silver Stream in the River Country. This village will take you around eight days to reach, only because I don't want you to be hasty. You must take your time getting there, because Sota needs to get there before you, to allay any suspicion from the guards there, as they are very cautious and will notice if he brings someone from another village.

You may infiltrate the village how you will, but you musn't alert anyone to your presence. If and when you succeed in this mission, you will find Sota in a small house just outside the village, and he will reward you with two million ryo. Will you accept this mission?"

Grinning inside at the possible reward, I calmly answer. "Yes, Sensei, I accept. When do I leave?"

"Wait one day, so Sota will have a head start." With that, Shingetsu vanishes.

Sota hastily explains to me what I need to know about the village for easy infiltration.

"Thank you, Sota, you may take off your blindfold now." I then run, quicker than the wind, so Sota won't see me as he removes his blindfold, to the outskirts of the village to get a good rest.

**The Next Day**

_Walking is so slow, oh how it would be great to run. And all these people, it is like I am suffocating. Oh well, it will surely be worth it as I collect my pay. _I think this as I am walking casually along a busy trading road on my way to the River Country. Suddenly, some fool bumps into me, almost knocking me down.

"Hey, watch it!" he yells at me. Then he looks at me and sees the irritated look on my face. "Um, I'm sorry, miss, I wasn't paying attention. Just one of those days." I say nothing, and I keep walking. He falls into step with me. "So, um, what is a pretty lady like you walking these roads alone? It isn't safe, there are pickpockits and bandits everywhere." Still I make no reply, but I am amused. So I favor him by glancing at him, and surprisingly I recognize him. He is the Jinchuriki of the nine-tailed fox, Naruto. I know of him because Shingetsu wanted me to be educated about people who could be a danger to me. Even more amused, I smile at him. Encouraged, he says "So where are you headed?"

Casually, I reply "I am going to the Silver Stream village."

Smiling broadly, he exclaims, "Really? So am I! I have a mission there. How about we travel together?"

"That is fine, what mission do you have though?"

"The leader of that village is worried that someone might try to assassinate him, so he sent a letter to Konoha requesting bodyguards."

Trying desparately not to laugh at the irony, I reply. "Only you? Surely he would need more people.."

"Well, I was the only person available at the time. Don't worry though. I'm sure that the great Uzumaki Naruto can handle it, no matter how many people I have to fight." He laughs while pointing to himself.

I allow myself a small giggle, covering my mouth. "I am sure the village leader has nothing to worry about with you around." _Ha._

We walk together for the rest of the day, talking about this and that, me being careful not to reveal any crucial information, until we come in sight of the village. I spot a minute or two ahead of him, but make no mention of it. When he finally sees it, he jumps in glee. "Look, look! There it is! We are nearly there! Woohoo!" I smile at his childness.

"Indeed we are."

As we walk through gates, he stops and turns to me. "Well, I need to go greet the village leader, I hope we'll see eachother again!" With that he runs off in the direction of the village leader's house. I walk in the direction of the nearest inn. After renting a room, I head off in search of a restaurant. I order the miso soup with a small cup of green tea. Once I finish my meal, I walk around the village, checking out escape routes and guard posts and so on. I then go back to my room at the inn to wait for sundown.


	4. Chapter 4

**Late at night**

Dressed in my ninja attire, I await on the top of a building near the village leader's house for the guards to change shifts. I sense Naruto outside the village leader's room, and I know I must be careful in this.

Once the guards change shifts, I stealthily jump from this building to the other, until I am just outside the village leader's window. Quietly as I can, I whisper a justu that will open the window, then I jump out of the way, wary of traps. Sensing no immediate danger, I jump into the room, one eye on the door, the other on the village leader, sleeping soundly.

I slide my katana out of its sheath, and get ready to end his life. Just as I am about to strike, a kunai flies through the door in my direction. I catch it in my hand and throw it in the direction it originally came from. I hear metal on metal as the attacker blocks the kunai with another.

The sounds wake the village leader up. He looks at me, and yells out.

_Damn, this isn't good._

Naruto predictably steps through the door, and I hear the house guards coming as well, and I know I must finish this soon. Naruto, not recognizing me in the dark, yells and asks who I am. I do not answer, for fear he may recongize my voice_, which would be unfortunate for him._

I reach out my hand, palm facing him. He looks at me, probably wondering, '_What is she up to_?' He takes a guard stance, wary of attack. Instead of attacking, though, I simply wave at him, putting him off guard. I then swiftly change stance and point my katana at him.

Before he can say anything or make a reaction besides a widening of his eyes, a great stream of flame pours out of my blade, so fast Naruto can't hope to dodge it. So instead he covers his face with his arms as the flame hits him. I held back in the end and he is only knocked back, unconscious. I take that chance to take care of the village leader. Seconds later, the guards then start pouring through the doorway, but by then I am already long gone.

**Naruto's POV**

I awaken, and immediately look at my surroundings, and I notice I am in my temporary room at the village leader's house, and I know that I have failed in my mission. "Damn!" I say as I slam my fist on the table next to the bed, breaking it. "Damn damn damn! How could this happen? She was, so fast.. almost inhuman, faster even than Sasuke... How is it possible? Why did I let my guard down! I'm such an idiot!" This all was said as I got out of bed and got my things together. "Well, I guess I should leave now, so I can report my failure to Tsunade. Damn, she's going to kill me. Hmm, maybe I'll stall a bit. I can find that Tsubaki girl, she's so pretty. I'll ask her to lunch!" I run from inn to inn, asking the managers if they have seen a person matching her description. At the last inn I visit, I learn that she checked out early early in the morning. Hearing this, I say, "Aw, well I guess now there is no reason to stay then." I head off to Konoha, cursing at myself the entire way, and shaking with fear at Tsunade's wrath.

**Your POV**

After collecting my reward from Sota, and wishing him best of luck, I run as fast as I can to get away from the village. Deep in the forest, I sense someone above me. I stop where I am, and look up. I see two people, both wearing black robes with red clouds on them, and I immediately know them to be members of the Akatsuki. I can't tell exactly who they are, though, because of the many shadows in the trees blocking their faces. I step back and draw my katana, demanding of them, "What do you want?"

The one to the left laughs and replies, "Stupid girl, do you have any idea who you are talking to?"

"I know that you are members of the Akatsuki, and I now see that is was you who has been following me these past ten days or so. Can you tell me why?"

They both jump down from the tree to stand in front of me so that I can see them.

_Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi... Not good. _I keep my expression calm but inside I know that I do not want to fight them.

Kisame was the one who first spoke, but now it is Itachi who speaks. "We have come to test your abilities, to see whether or not you are capable of completing a certain mission."

Skeptical, I think to myself. _What mission can they give me that they can't complete themselves?_

Kisame, guessing what I am thinking, says, "The only reason we came to you instead of completing this ourselves is because if you are able to succeed, you will be able to become a member of our organization."

Bewildered, I reply. "I thought there were no rings left, doesn't Orochimaru still have his ring even though he isn't a member anymore?"

Kisame answers, "That is the mission. In order to have a chance at becoming a member, you must retrieve the ring from Orochimaru."

"But, why me?"

Itachi speaks, "Because of your unique control of fire, it can be useful in many situations. But of course, before we can allow you to attempt to retrieve the ring, you must fight me, so I can see if you are capable. If you are not, then you must not go. It would be dangerous if Orochimaru captured you and used your abilities against us."

"Ha, like that could happen," was my confident retort.

Kisame laughs, showing his sharp teeth, but says nothing.

"So, are you interested in joining the Akatsuki?"

_Hm, if I join, what will be the benefits? _It didn't take long to realize, _I won't be so alone anymore. I could talk to these people freely, because I wouldn't have to hide who I am, for fear of being revealed to everyone. The only person I can talk to is Shingetsu, and now I only see him when he assigns me a mission. I don't like being alone.._

After having this revelation, "So, when do we start?"

Itachi looks at me without expression, "Whenever you are ready." And he jumps into the trees.


	5. Chapter 5

**Akane Vs the Uchiha**

I follow him, skillfully weilding my katana I stand on a branch, high above the ground. He throws a kunai at me, which I block with the hilt of my katana. He then appears behind me, ready to attack again, but I am ready. I spin around and attack, but then he is gone. He appears again on another branch about ten yards away. I notice he has refrained from using his sharingan, and I know he is playing with me. Annoyed, I use my inner flame to set his tree on fire.

"Impressive, you can use it from a distance" he says as he jumps to another branch.

He then draws a kunai and advances on me. I ready myself, alert for any sudden movement. He charges, and kunai meets katana for a split second, then they part, and meet again and again. None of us can gain the upper hand, as we are matched in speed and skill. To Kisame we seem like blurs, breaking apart and meeting again. This goes on for only a few minutes, but it seems like hours. I start to get tired, I'm panting, but Itachi is showing no fatigue. Finally, we break again one last time. I look at him, wondering what he is going to do next. Instead of attacking again like I expected, he simply drops his stance, nods his head and says "Well done, you have passed."

Tired, I sit on the branch. "You are the first person, to ever present a challenge to me. It makes me nervous to think of how you fight with your sharingan."

"Hn" Was all his reply as he smoothly jumped twenty-some feet to the ground.

I follow him, still shocked at his skill, and knowing he could kill me whenever he wanted.

Kisame looks to Itachi who says, "She is stronger than her reputation says her to be. She can handle this."

"Heh, alright then, what now?" says Kisame.

Itachi looks at me and says, "Kisame and I will await you in Border Town of the fire country. We know from spies that Orochimaru is not currently in his village, and that he has gone to conduct business in the earth country. You will travel alone to the village hidden in the sound, where you will spy on Orochimaru's hideout. When you get the chance, you will slip inside and retrieve the ring from his room. Beware of Sasuke and Kabuto, together they may be able to defeat you."

Unafraid, I reply, "I will see you soon, with the ring in my possession. No need to doubt that."

Itachi and Kisame then walk off, Kisame waving behind them, "Good luck, we'll be waiting."

**Itachi's POV**

_Finally, a worthy opponent.. _

_She looked so, graceful- No, I musn't think this, there is too much at stake.._

**On The Third Day Of The Journey To The Village Hidden In the Sound**

_Running, running, feels so, nice. I wish I could run like this forever, but I'm starting to get tired. I should rest for tonight. I'll stop, when I reach the river before I enter the village, At the river I will bathe and eat and watch the stars overhead._

Upon reaching the river, I check the area around for prying eyes. I then take off my katana, shoes, and the rest of my clothing and set it all in a bundle at the base of a large tree. I gingerly step into the water, and I wade towards the center until the water goes up to my neck. I feel the slight current pull at my hair, and I long to let it take me to oblivion, but I know I can't, I must complete the mission, so I won't have to be alone anymore.. So in the meantime I wash my skin and hair of the filth I acquired during the journey. Satisfied that I am clean, I get out of the river and lie down on a large boulder, allowing the sun to dry me. When the sun is set and the stars start to come out, I get up and slowly put on my clothes. _That was nice, dinner time._

I grab an obento from my bag and dine on the contents. Full, I climb a tree, find a sturdy branch, and fall asleep, leaning on the trunk.

**Arrival**

Running again, I come in sight of the Hidden Sound village. I would enter it, but I know that the village is not where I must go, for Orochimaru's current hideout is north of the village. I would go through the village, but that too would not be wise. I must be extremely careful not to be seen, so I must detour around the village.

Instead of running, I creep around, trying not to disturb the grass and other plants, knowing that if someone sees me and warns Sasuke or the other denizens of the base, I might as well give up and run back to Shingetsu, and be alone again.

Upon reaching the other side of the village, I break into the swift, graceful run of a gazelle. Before long, I reach the site of the hideout. From the outside all that is visible is a small shack. But I know that on the inside, there is a secret passage to a great underground labryinth. I enter the shack. It is dark inside, but in the light of the moon I see a candle on a table in the middle of the room. I motion with my fingers and the candle bursts to life. I look around, searching for the entrance. Scanning the floor boards, I see a barely visible crack in them, forming an irregular square. I take out a kunai and gingerly fit the blade between the cracks. I use it to push open the secret door. Once the door is open, I see nothing but black. There are metal rungs forming a ladder down the side of the pit, but most of them are broken, and I don't trust them to hold me. So instead of using those, I grab the candle from the table, concentrate chakra in my feet, and slowly walk down the side of the pit. I've been walking down it for so long, and I am surprised when I reach the bottom. Stepping onto the floor, I allow myself a minute to get my bearings.

I then set off in search of Orochimaru's room, deep within the labyrinth.

After about twenty minutes of walking, I secretly thank Kisame for telling me where Orochimaru's room is. I just wish it wouldn't take so long. _This place is creeping me out. _As I am about to cross through an intersection, I sense someone coming. Knowing I am in danger, I quickly open a random door and hide in the room. Relieved that the room is empty, I draw a kunai and wait behind the door in case someone should open it. Hearing footsteps, I tense, at the ready. They stop at my door, _lucky me_. The door slowly opens, and I lash out with the kunai, only to meet with another kunai. I look from the kunai, to the owner of it, and am startled to see the one and only, Uchiha Sasuke.

_Damn.._


	6. Chapter 6

**Encounter**

Instead of attacking, he just looks at me, with the same lack of expression as his brother.

"Why are you here?

Knowing that he will be able to tell if I lie, I decide to be honest. "I seek the ring that Orochimaru wore during his time in the Akatsuki."

Showing no surpise, he simply turns around and starts to walk away a few steps. He faces me again and in a bored tone, "I would kill you now but, there is only one person I wish to kill.. Take the ring if you wish, I will not stop you." Then he walks away without looking back.

Completely astounded, it takes me a minute to fully comprehend what he said. Finally, I start off again in the direction of Orochimaru's room.

When I finally, finally reach it, I am so sick of the tunnels that I want to destroy them all. I move to draw my katana, then, thinking better of it, I move my hand back to my side. _This is a mission of stealth, not destruction. I must be patient and wise. But still, I seriously hate this place._

Standing in front of the door, I carefully turn the handle, and jump back as the door swings freely outward. Wary of traps, I mutter a jutsu that will run a thin layer of flame that doesn't burn through the entire room, disabling all traps.

Confident that I am in no immediate danger, I step in to the room. I look around and see a bookshelf and a simple bed, with a small table beside it. Upon the table are various bottles of pills, an empty glass, a few odds and ends, and the ring I came here for. I walk over to the table, and pick up the ring. Smiling to myself I pocket the ring, turn around, and freeze in place.

"Going somewhere?" Says Kabuto.  
_Ugh, what a nuisance. "_I was just leaving, don't bother trying to stop me."

"Yeah, riight, you aren't going anywhere." He pulls out a needle and throws it at me. I quickly draw my katana and block it. He uses this distraction to attack with one of his scalpels, but I'm too fast. I block each attack, careful not to let him touch me, lest it prove to be fatal. In the midst of fighting, I fill my blade with fire, and use it to burn Kabuto's scalpel, along with part of his hand. He jerks his hand back, and before he can heal it, I attack again, cutting him deeply in his side, then I kick him in the head, knocking him out. Not caring anymore for stealth, I run as fast as I can back the way I had come. This time, the journey took only a few minutes, and I encountered no one. Upon reaching the pit, I jump as high as I can and use my chakra to stick my hands and feet to the wall. I straighten myself and run up the wall, when I reach the top I hastily jump out and shut the door. I dart out of the shack in the direction of Border Town.

**Exhaustion**

_Running, running, I'm tired.. Tired of running.. I didn't think it was possible. I have been running all day, I want to stop, but I cannot.. Not until I get to Border Town.._

The are the thoughts I have before I collapse from exhaustion. Angry with myself, I sit there where I fell, cursing at myself. "I'm weak, so weak, it pisses me off. I need to get stronger. Perhaps, being with the akatsuki will help with that. I can get more training.. yes. I must keep going, after.. I take a nap.." With that, I fall asleep.

**Dreams**

_Tsubaki..._

"Who, who's there?"

_Tsubaki..._

"Who is, Tsubaki.. Am I, Tsubaki?"

_Tsubaki..._

_Tsubaki..._

_*fade*_

_Tsubaki is a freak, Tsubaki is a freak, a freak ah ha ha ha haa~_

"Yes.. I am a freak.. why am I a freak.. Why can't I be, normal?"

_She killed her mother..._

"It, it was an accident! I didn't mean to!"

_She helped to kill her father..._

"I- I did. But, he deserved to die! Now please, stooooo-

_*fade*_

oooooooooop!" I wake up, crying. Head pounding from the guilt. "Why..?"  
I sit there for a while, until I can calm down. Eventually, I grab the canteen from my bag and drink some water. I finally get up and start walking toward Border Town. Thankfully, it doesn't take long for me to reach it. Before I go inside, though, I change into my disguise, a red kimono with black blossoms along the bottom of it. I also use a jutsu to compact my blade to the size of a dagger and put it in my bag. Finally, I pull up my hair into a low ponytail. Satisfied, I enter the city.

**Border Town**

Inside the village, I begin my search for Kisame and Itachi. I search all day, without avail. When it gets dark, I decide to rent a room and hope that they find me.

_Finally some luck, an inn with hot springs. _I run to my room, grab a towel, and run to the springs. I strip down and gradually lower myself into the steaming water. No one is there, and I hear the birds sing in the trees nearby, and squirrels fighting over acorns. I am at peace. Finally, when my skin turns red and my fingers and toes resemble prunes, I force myself to get out. I put on a robe and wrap my hair in a towel, then I grab my clothes and head back to my room.

Once inside, I redress myself, brush my hair, and sit on the bed, wondering what to do. Bored, I lie down and count the cracks in the ceiling until they appear to blend together. After a while, I hear a knock at the door. _I wonder who that is.. _I get up and go to the door. I take a breath and open it. Sure enough, there stands Kisame and Itachi. I step aside to let them in. Kisame makes himself comfortable in the only chair in the room. I sit on the bed, and Itachi remains standing. We are all silent until Kisame predictably breaks the silence.

"So, since you are here, I suppose you succeeded in getting the ring?"

"Yes, I have." I pull the ring out of my pocket and place it in the palm of my hand. "Should I put it on?"

Itachi answers, "Not yet, first we must go to the meeting place and summon the other members. It is there that you will become a member, if the others agree, of course."

Ready to get out of there and on the road, I ask, "When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow, get some rest. We'll come by in the morning when it's time to go."

"Alright." They walk out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Another Journey**

*knock knock*

_Ugh. _I mumble, _"_What..?"

*knock knock*

"Oh.." I look at the time: it is four thirty. _Not cool._

_*louder knocking*_

"Okay okay, I'm coming." I get up and open the door, yawning.

Kisame is there. "It's about time you answered. Hurry up and get ready, we've got to go. Meet us at the West Gate."

"Fine." As soon as he leaves, I run to the small bathroom and brush my teeth and fix my hair.

Finished, I put on my sandals and grab my stuff. Then I'm out the door.

Once outside the city, it doesn't take long for me to spot Kisame and Itachi, they seem to demand all the attention around them with their robes and their mysterious bamboo hats. When they see me, Itachi nods, and together me, him, and Kisame walk off toward the meeting place.

Neither of us talk for the greater part of the day. The only sounds are our slight footsteps, the wind rustling the leaves on the trees, and the ocassional sound of a bird crying.

"So, how far until we get to this meeting place?"

Itachi answers, "Sometime tomorrow."

"Ahh." That is all that is said until the sun begins to set.

Itachi suddenly stops walking and says, "We will rest here for tonight." We are in a small clearing bordered on one side by a sparkling river.

"Perfect timing, I'm beat," Kisame states as he throws down his pack. "I'll get dinner ready." He goes over to the river and uses a jutsu to summon some fish. Next thing I know they are cooking over a fire, while Kisame eats his raw.

Itachi and I are facing eachother from across the fire, and I feel his eyes prying into my soul. I return the stare wondering, _what is he thinking..? _Then. _His eyes, they're so, pretty._

Kisame notices none of this as he hands the now-cooked fish to us. Itachi finally stops staring as he begins to eat.

While we are eating, Kisame tends to his samehada.

After we are finished, I decide it is too quiet, even for me. So I try to start a conversation with Itachi. "So what made you decide to join the Akatsuki?"

"I support the organization's ideals," was all his answer was.

"Ahh okay.. What about you, Kisame?" He just grunts and goes back to his sword.

I sigh and get up and say "I'm going for a walk." Again Itachi looks at me with those eyes, yet he says nothing.

**Alone**

Once I am around a mile away from the campsite, i stop walking. Not because I am tired but because I need to think. A lot is going through my mind and if I don't sort these thoughts out I just might explode. So I sit down on the root of a giant tree and start meditating. But it seems I am more tired than I thought, so I fall asleep.

**Dream**

_Mother is hanging the laundry out on the clothesline to dry. I am playing in the flower garden, but the flowers are dying, because of the snow. Desparate to save the plants, I hold my hands over them, blocking the falling snow. I am five years old, and I am smart enough to know this isnt changing anything. So I start to think of what is really needed, and that is heat. I want to start a fire, but I am not allowed, my parents are afraid that I will burn myself, so they hid the flint. So instead, I gather some sticks and place them near the garden. I try to start a fire by striking the sticks together, but to no avail. frustrated, I will the sticks to burn, then suddenly they burst in to flame, and the snow around them starts to melt. Surprised and frightened at what I had done, I grab a stick without thinking that I am not supposed to touch fire. My hand is covered with the fire but I am feeling no pain. Excited, I run to my mother and show her what I did. Frightened by the flames covering my arm, she snatches the stick out of my hand and throws it on the ground, burning herself. She kneels down and grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me, telling me how stupid that was of me. She tells me never to do anything like that again._

She didn't even think to ask where the fire came from. That made me angry. I yelled back at her, telling her that I saved the flowers in the garden, and she should thank me, and not call me stupid. She yells back at me saying that she is trying to protect me.. And I get so angry.. I cause her to burst in to flame. She immediately lets go of me and screams and screams for my father, but he is in the village, buying food to last us through the winter. She pleads for me to save her, to stop the fire, but I just watch wide-eyed, it doesn't even occur to me that if I can start a fire, then I can put out. I watch as she dies, and I just sit there.

An eternity later, my dad comes home and sees me sitting there, staring at the charred body of my mother. He drops the food he bought, runs over to mother, and finds that she is dead. He turns to me and yells, "Why didn't you do something? Why?" I do not answer, I just sit there still. 

_There is no way for my father to know it was me who killed her, but he suspects, and from then on he has made my life a living hell._

_Since my powers have awakened that fateful day, even though I killed my mother with them, I take every opportunity I can to use them. Many of the kids in the village have seen me using them, and they stay away from me because they are afraid, but not too afraid to taunt me and throw rocks at me. I never had any friends, I was always alone.._

I eventually wake up, and I am curled into a little ball, with tears in my eyes. I sit up and look around. The first thing I notice it that it is dawn, and that Itachi is squatting maybe three feet in front of me.

"We are leaving, let's go."

I nod and, before I get up, I notice that his eyes are not quite as cold as usual.


	8. Chapter 8

Just so you know: In my fanfic, the current Akatsuki members are Pein, Konan, Kakuzu, Hidan, Deidara, Tobi, Kisame, Itachi, and Zetsu. I understand that most are now dead and a couple quit but I had to make it so there is only one spot available. So deal with it. [:

**Itachi's POV**

_I wonder what she dreams of. She seems so, troubled, tortured. Why do i feel the need to help her?_

I see her tears, and I reach out with my hand to wipe them away, but then she stirs. I snatch my hand back just as she is beginning to sit up. She turns around and sees me and for an instant, I freeze. All I can think of to say is that "We are leaving, let's go."

She looks at me and nods slowly, "Okay."

Unable to bear her gaze any longer, I turn around and head toward the camp site where Kisame is. As I approach, he looks up from his Samehada and observes, "Time to go?"

"Aye.."

**Your POV**

_That was embarassing. I hope he didn't see me, crying. I need to be stronger than this.. What is happening to me? I don't even know much about him. Only that he killed almost his entire clan to supposedly test his strength, which I don't believe at all, and that he is feared and hated by most, mainly his little brother, Sasuke. Why do I want to tell to him everything that I have ever thought, felt, and experienced? He hardly talks to me, and says nothing of his past, and why should I care? Why?_

**The Mansion**

It is now midday, we stop for a few minutes to eat, and we are on our way again. We keep walking until we reach yet another clearing. In this one, though, there is a mansion. It looks very old but taken care of. The three of us walk to the the large double doors. Kisame opens one of the doors and we let ourselves in. Once inside, I see that we are in a large, beautiful, circular recieving room. There is a spiral staircase opposite of where we are standing and there are many doors around the edge of the room, leading I have no clue where.

There is no furniture in the room though, and also no windows. It is also a bit dim, and there is only one light coming from a stunning chandalier on the center of the ceiling. In all, the room is a bit gloomy.

Unsure of where to go, I look at Itachi. He and Kisame then start walking to the far side of the room, toward the staircase. As we approach, I expect that we are going to climb the stairs. But instead, they go around the staircase to a simple door that I didn't see earlier. Itachi opens the door and it leads to an even more gloomy hallway, with dim red lights on the walls and a single door at the end.

Once we reach the door we stop. Itachi knocks on the door and then we wait. It doesn't take long for someone to call out from somewhere behind the door, "Enter."

Itachi opens the door and steps in side, followed by Kisame and then me.

The first thing I notice is that the room is entirely black, including the ceiling and the floors, with candles held in sconces in the corners of the room, producing a dim light. There are no other doors and no windows present. In the room there are ten simple black chairs, seven of which are occupied. _Akatsuki._

Kisame and Itachi immediately go to their chairs and sit. Unsure of what to do, I remain standing in the middle of the room, with them watching me. I notice that most of the people there are just projections of theirselves, that the only people who are actually there are Kisame, Itachi, a man with blond hair pulled up in a ponytail, and a man in an orange mask whom I've never seen or even heard of before. The person near the center of the group, a projection with many peircings on his face, who I presume to be Pein, speaks first. "Kankishi, is it?

Not trusting myself to speak, I nod my head.

"I understand that you have retrieved Orochimaru's ring from his hideout, and that you would like to be a member of our organization?"

Again I nod.

"Well then, before we come to a decision to accept you, would you please recount all that has happened in Orochimaru's hideout?"

I take a deep breath, and tell the story, skipping the part where I ran as fast as I could to get out of there once I got the ring. When I get to the part about Sasuke, a couple of the members smirk at Itachi's direction and mutter under their breaths that Sasuke is going to get himself killed one day for running away. Itachi says nothing.

Most are pleased with me for defeating Kabuto, it seems they dislike him for defecting from Sasori to Orochimaru. When I finish telling my story, all is silent. Then one of them, someone who I know to be Kakuzu because he is a famous bounty hunter (somewhat like me), speaks, "I am impressed with what you have accomplished, and also with your reputation. You worked as an assassin for how many years? Eleven?" I nod. "And you have also never failed an assignment, and your very name brings fear into the people's hearts. Yes, I think you could be of use to us."

Pein speaks again. "Would anyone else like to comment on what was said?"

There is a short pause until the man I then presume to be Deidara speaks, "I agree with what Konan said, but I would like to add something, hm. Your ability with fire, do you consider it an art?"

My reply is, "I consider the living flame itself to be a great beauty." He seems to be satisfied with my answer, as he sits back in his chair and briefly nods his head.

No one else speaks until a guy who looks mostly plant says, "We have heard your story, we know of your reputation, and we know to an extent of your abilities, but what of your master? Does he know you are here, and can we trust you to keep secret from him the information we give to you?"

_I am glad that I have already thought of this before I came I would be in trouble._

After a brief pause, I state, "All my life has been full of secrets, hidden from everyone but him. He is the one who saved me from eventually being killed out of fear by the villagers. Even with this, I know I do not want to live the rest of my life like this, with no real purpose or goal. I feel if I keep it up, I'll go insane. I believe you guys are the only ones who could possibly accept me with my past, and you have an admiral goal. I know that the only way I could keep the organization's secrets from Shingetsu would be to cut all ties with him. I am willing to do this, if it means having a true goal. He will understand."

Another pause and then Kakuzu speaks again, "That was a good speech, if you mean it, and I believe that all that can be said has been said. Pein?"

Pein nods to him and then says to all in the room. "He is right. Now, we will make our decision as to whether or not Akane can join the Akatsuki." Short pause. Then, "Zetsu, do you believe that Akane should be accepted, and that she would be valuable to our organization and be a help in completing our ideals?"

After what looks like arguing with himself under his breath, he says, "No."

"Deidara?"

"Yes, un"

"Hidan?"

"Hell no." _Jerk._

"Kisame?"

"... No."

_This isn't looking good for me.. I thought for sure I could count on Kisame's 'yes'._

"What about you, Itachi?"

He looks me in the eyes as he says, "Yes."

"Kakuzu."

"Yes."

"Tobi."

"Yes."

"Konan."

"No."

"Hmm, I guess it is up to be to decide. Akane."

Hesitation. "Yes?"

"Welcome to the Akatsuki, you may now put that ring on your left little finger."


	9. Chapter 9

After being formally introduced to everyone and being temporarily assigned to Itachi and Kisame's group, the meeting is unofficially drawn to a close. I knew the meeting was over when all the projections disappeared seemingly at the same time and all that was left was me, Itachi, Kisame, Tobi, and Deidara. Staying a few minutes to chat, I learn that Tobi and Deidara were only there because they were in the area. They were also happy to have me in the group, and looked forward to getting to know me at another time, as they had to leave soon on an unknown mission.

Eventually, Kisame escorted me to my room. Upon reaching the door, he states that his room is down the hall, and Itachi's is right next to mine, should I need anything. Grateful, I step into my room and close the door behind me. Worn out because of the day, I flop facedown onto the bed. Despite my exhaustion, I am unable to sleep. I'm just too excited at the prospect of actually being a part of something. Eventually I turn to my side and see a candle on the table next to the bed. Using my control of flame, I light the candle, sit up, and take a look around. It is a very simple room. All it contains the bed I lay on, the small table, a chair, and a simple wardrobe. There are no windows but there is another door, which I assume leads to a restroom. My eye is drawn back to the wardrobe, which I now see is cracked slightly open. Wearily, I stand up and walk over to it. Thinking to shut it, I instead open it and see an Akatsuki cloak, a bamboo hat, and even the purple nail polish that the members are commonly seen wearing. _Huh, they must have servants here that I haven't seen, or else how would they have known to stock my wardrobe? There couldn't have been any time to do this since the meeting started. Oh well.._

Since I am already up, I decide to inspect the restroom. It is a lot nicer than I expect. The walls are black, like everything else seems to be. The toilet, counter, and sink are somewhat simple, with the counter having a perfectly unflawed crystal mirror above it- a nice touch. I look into the mirror and see the circles under my eyes, and the dirt smudges on my face. Seeing this, I look to the tub. It is very grand and I can see that it has options for hot and cold water. _We must be near a hot spring, nice._ My mind made up that I'm not going to be able to sleep any time soon, I decide to take a bath and wash the grime of travel from my skin. I turn on the hot water and undress as the tub fills up. Just as the water fills up about three quarters of the tub, I step into the steaming water and simply relax, thinking about the events leading up to this moment. I wash my hair and skin and, before I know it, I fall asleep. It is a deep and dreamless sleep, I am woken a couple of hours later by a knock on my bedroom door. I call out, "Just a minute!" and reluctantly get out of the tub. I grab a black towel from the counter and wrap it around me. I then try to comb the tangles out of my hair as I walk over to my door and open it. I see a girl around my age whom I've never seen before. "Um, do I know you?"

Shyly, she replies, "No, I'm afraid not. My name is Momo, I work here. I've been charged with making you feel as at home as possible."

"Oh," I say as I adjust the towel wrapped around me, "My name is Akane, I am glad to meet you. Are you the one who put those things in my wardrobe?"

"Yes, it was me. I would have given them to you in person, but I had no idea if you would be having any free time from the time you joined us, so I decided to play it safe and went ahead and placed it all in your wardrobe. Now, is there anything that you require of me? Are you hungry?"

"Well, if you could bring me some onigri along with udon in and hour, I would much appreciate it. Also, what time is it?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She reaches into a pocket in her apron and pulls out a small clock, "I forgot to give you this. Please forgive me. Also, I will have the food ready in an hour, like you requested."

"Oh, it is no problem, and thank you." I take the clock from her and see that it is nine at night.

"Well, good bye for now," says Momo cheerfully as she backs out of the door and turns to walk down the hall.

I place the clock on the table next to my bed and open my pack. I take out my spare clothes and put them on, as the ones I was wearing before are dirty. I should ask Momo about where to wash my clothes when she gets back. After towel-drying my hair, I walk back to the wardrobe and grab the nail polish and then walk over to sit on my bed. I expertly paint my nails and toes and then I lie back and wait for them to dry. Again, my mind wanders over to _him_. I wonder what he is doing. How is he? I remember that his room is next to mine and for a second I think of going over to visit, but then I remember that he is probably asleep by now. I sigh and then, nails dry, walk back to the wardrobe and grab the cloak and put it on. A perfect fit. I go back into the bathroom and look in the mirror. "Hm, not too bad." Just as I say this, someone knocks on the door. Ah, Momo is here with the food. Once again I go to the door and open it. Instead of Momo, however, I am standing face to face with Itachi. Itachi! "Oh, hello. Is something wrong?"

"No.. I just wanted to check up on you. How do you like your room?" was his reply.

Woah. I never expected him to say anything like that. "Everything is, fine. I'm glad to be here."

"That's good. Also, we are leaving tomorrow. We are going to Konoha to capture the nine-tails."

"Oh, I see. Okay then. Thank you." Then he hesitates. "Anything else?"

For a second it seems as if he is going to say something, then changes his mind. "No, it's nothing." Then he walks out the door in the direction of his room.

I slowly close the door behind him, and just stand there. _What just happened_? A few minutes later, I'm still standing there in the same spot in front of my door, when Momo arrives with my food. I take it without speaking and sit down in my chair and eat, trying to figure out what he was about to say.


	10. Chapter 10

**Itachi's POV**

"No, it's nothing." I just can't bring myself to ask Akane why she was crying this morning. On my way to my room, I see the servant girl, Momo, walking towards me. When she notices me, she stops in front of me, causing me to stop as well.

"Itachi, sir, is there anything you need?"

I stare at her for a few long moments,thinking. "Bring a bottle of sake to my room, and ask Kisame to come as well."

"Yes, sir. Right away." Then she takes off running in the direction of the kitchen.

Free from her, I step into my room. All I can think of is Kankishi, and I'm still not sure why I can't get her out of my mind. I must confide in someone, and sadly the only person I could ever confide in is Kisame. Less than two minutes later, Kisame arrives at my door with a bottle of sake and two cups.

**Kisame's POV**

Not bothering to knock, for I know Itachi to be aware of my presence, I open the door and walk inside, carrying the requested sake. I greet Itachi with a half-smile, and he just looks at me like always. I briefly look around the room and see a small table in the center with two chairs, one to either side. Itachi is in one chair, and I assume the other is meant for me. I go to sit in the other chair and start pouring the sake. I know better than to say anything. By what I can gather from Itachi's mood, he will speak when he is ready. Luckily, I don't have to wait long. After pouring the sake, and drinking a bit of mine, Itachi speaks.

"Have you noticed anything strange, about that Akane?"

_Huh, not at all what I expected him to say. I wonder where this is headed._ "What do you mean?"

A little hesitant, "Well, first off, we don't know that much about her. All we know is that she is a capable fighter and a successful assassin, yet we know almost nothing of her past. It disturbs me how someone who never got training from a village could learn so much about the ways of the ninja. Of course, there is her mentor, Shingetsu, but who is this man? I've never heard of him before we started investigating Akane." It is rare that he says so much at one time, but still I feel that he is leaving the main thing out.

"I don't know what to say to that, but what purpose could they have in deceiving us? It isn't like they are a real danger to us. I detect no deception in anything that Akane has said. Now tell me, what is this really all about?"

After a long deep sigh, Itachi reluctantly tells me about that morning, about how he saw Akane crying in her sleep and how he wanted to help her. He also tells me about these random feelings of compassion he's been having and had to repeatedly talk himself out of them. The entire time he was telling his story, he hasn't once looked up from his empty cup. As he finally looks up at me, his eyes widen a bit at my shocked expression. Well, who could blame me? It's not every day that Itachi expresses or even admits he has any emotion. "Now, tell me," pleads Itachi. Pleads! "What should I do about this?"

Taking a few seconds to regain my composure, I ask him. "Are you absolutely sure about these feelings?"

".. Yes. They've been, distracting. But I'm still not sure exactly what they mean."

_Well, it seems pretty obvious to me_, is what I'm tempted to say. Instead, using my better judgment, I tell him, "Maybe, it couldn't hurt for you to find out what these feelings are about."

"But how am I to do that?"

_Man, I'm definitely not good at this kind of thing._ Awkwardly, I say, "Well, you could start by listening to your emotions, instead of shutting them away? Maybe that will lead you somewhere.."

He stares at me for a few long moments before he refills his cup and mine with the sake. "Thank you for listening," he says. "Never speak of this again." And with that he downs the sake. I drink a couple more cups with him in silence, then I get up and leave, calling goodnight over my shoulder. _Weirdest day ever._

**Itachi's POV**

After Kisame leaves, I just stare at the door, still barely believing that I confided in him. _I wonder if he thinks me weak, now. I wonder what she would think.._

Slightly buzzed from the sake, I have enough sense to stop drinking before things get out of hand. I drink some water, and I go to sleep soon after.


	11. Chapter 11

**Itachi's POV**

_Kisame was wrong. These feelings are a weakness. I don't even know why I confided in him. From now on everything is strictly business.._

**Akane's POV**

I wake up feeling refreshed and ready for everything. I sit up, stretch, and notice that there is the most delicious looking breakfast on the small table next to my bed. Smiling,I greedily eat the food and drink the water that is with it. I go into the bathroom and get ready for the day ahead.

Today we are going after the nine tails, Naruto. _This shall be interesting, _I think,

remembering the time I met Naruto at the Silver Stream village. _I wonder if he will_

_recognize me. _I giggle to myself as I put on my cloak, grab my hat, and step out the door.

Seeing no one in the hallway, I head down to the lounge and sit comfortably in the

most comfortable chair in the room, waiting for whatever is supposed to happen. After about ten minutes of counting the fibers of cotton in the rug, feet move into my vision. Startled, I look up to see Itachi. "Oh, hello," I calmly speak.

He says nothing as he moves over to sit in the chair next to mine. He looks at me for a moment before finally speaking, "As you know, we will be going after the nine-tails. We intercepted a message from Konoha to Suna requesting ninjas to help protect Naruto from the Akatsuki. I want you to go in instead of the Suna nin, since you are the only one of us who wouldn't be recognized by anyone in the village-"

"Um, wait. I didn't feel the need to tell you before.. I encountered Naruto on the road to the Silver Stream village. We travelled together, he would definently recognize me." I tell Itachi about what Naruto and I talked about while travelling. "Also, I had to fight him in order to get to the village leader. He didn't know me then, it was dark and I said nothing.."

Itachi pauses a moment to think. "Hmm, no matter. Since you handled the situation well, just tell him you were on a mission that required you pass through the village. Anyways, your mission will be to gain the nine-tails' trust and convince him to leave the country with you using whatever excuse you can come up with. You must get him out of the reach of Konoha and his friends before we can effectively capture him without killing him. Questions?"

"Um, yes. How long do I have to complete this mission, and what happens if they find me out?"

"I can give you two months at the most. He must see you as one he can trust with his life. You will meet me outside the village once a week when you can get away to check on your progress and to make plans for the capture. And if you get caught.. I can't guarantee we will be able to save you. And if you are about to be interrogated and you cannot be saved, either you or I must kill you. You now have vital information that could greatly harm us."

_Hmm, risky. But it's not like I have anything to lose. _"Well then, I just won't get captured. Do you have the papers to get me into the village?"

"Yes, among other things. Here." He hands me a simple tan, weather-beaten bag that one would easily assume came from Suna. I look inside and pull out some documents saying that I'm a citizen of Suna, and I was assigned an A-rank mission in Konoha to assist in the protection of Naruto. Everything looks legitimate, Itachi even changed the names on the papers to Tsubaki Shimane. Satisfied, I look deeper into the bag and see a Suna forehead protector nestled among some clothes. I pull out a simple black shirt with mesh sleeves, loose black pants, a Flak jacket, and knee-high sandals the same color as the jacket. I nod to myself, satisfied with the contents of the bag. I look to Itachi, whose face I still can't read "Yes, this will do just fine."

"Good, then. I will leave you now to get ready for the journey. Travel to Konoha as soon as possible. Do not fail." With that, he vanished. I calmly walk to my room to change and pack the essentials. I put my normal clothes and sword and other various things that are noticeably mine into a scroll and put it into my kunai pouch. Finished packing, I walk out of my room and head for the exit of the mansion. I see no one the whole way out. Not even him.

**Itachi's POV**

_Why do I feel guilty, putting her at risk like that? I wouldn't hesitate at all if it were someone else. Why her? All of my ability to love died with the clan.. Didn't it?_


End file.
